Does regionalism contradicts globalization?

Résumé du document

Globalization is a historical process characterized, first by intensification and an acceleration of international exchanges, secondly by the development of transnational and deterritorialized relations and thirdly by the establishment of solidarity systems around the world. Globalization affects human beings, goods, services, institutions, cultural practices and ideas. Regionalism rests on increasing processes of social and economic interactions between the members of the same region. And this is where regionalism seems to contradict globalization. If countries are increasingly interdependent, it is only within their delineated region and not on a global scale.

Extraits

[...] Globalization as a threat 1. A menace to Nation States Firstly, globalization, from a realist viewpoint, is a threat to national sovereignty. Indeed, by developing transnational relations between countries around the world, globalization has undermined the State's control over its territory and produced solidarity systems that transcend the national scale. Ex : Literature : Le retournement du monde Pursing in this line of thought, globalization is also a menace to national economies. Undeniably, by increasing interdependences between states at a global scale, globalization reduces the liberties and the possibilities of the States while directing their national economy. [...]

[...] Le régionalisme contradit-il la globalisation ? “People have been trying to create a global village. But this dream is over. Regions are drifting apart. We are also drifting apart within regions themselves.” Peter Brabeck. Chairman of Nestlé. Financial Times. 31/01/2006 When Peter Brabek mentions Marshall Mc Luhan's concept of “global village” [The Gutenberg Galaxy : the making of typographic Man]he refers to how globalization contracted the globe into a conglomerate and unified global community. Indeed, globalization is a historical process characterized, first by an intensification and an acceleration of international exchanges, secondly by the development of transnational and deterritorialized relations and thirdly by the establishment of solidarity systems around the world. [...]

[...] Open regionalism 1. Regionalism as an adjustment to globalization The idea, according to which regions where protectionist entities, has largely been undermined. Indeed, instead of contradicting globalization, regions have been an instrument to adjust to the incentives of globalization. Globalization pressures countries to homogenize their economies and develop liberalized trade according to S. C La mondialisation au delà du mythe. So regions have contributed to liberalize and deregulate economies at a global scale. Ex : Europe. Threat of the European constitution in France. [...]

[...] Indeed according to Bertrand Badie, the main state actors within regions have seeked opening with countries exterior to the region. Ex : US with China, and not only with NAFTA. Also, organization such as APEC has tried to develop interregional communications. Serge Cordellier calls it “minilateralism”, in opposition to multilateralism. It is no longer the countries that interact, but the regions, in a cooperative way. [...]

[...] Firstly, regions are not homogenous entities. Indeed, according to Bertrand Badie in Le retournement du monde, the regional integration has not destroyed forms of nationalism and the concept of national and cultural boundaries. If economic integration is a relative success, political integration still has a long way to go. Ex : the crisis showed in Europe the discordances within the European Union and the desire to preserve national identity. On the other hand, regions have not always proved their ability to solve issues within their regional area. [...]